


Not Quite

by AchillesMonkey



Series: Ace and Aro Fics [4]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Aromantic, Aromantic Jemma Simmons, Coming Out, Episode: s01e12 Seeds, Gen, pride prompts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-12
Updated: 2017-06-12
Packaged: 2018-11-13 09:18:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11181711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AchillesMonkey/pseuds/AchillesMonkey
Summary: "Point taken. Simmons had boyfriends.""Well, not quite."Takes place during episode 1x12 Seeds, specifically the deleted scene in the Boiler Room. Jemma explains to Skye that she is aromantic.





	Not Quite

**Author's Note:**

  * For [buckysbears (DrZebra)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrZebra/gifts).



> From a Tumblr Pride Prompt: anything with aromantic jemma! when she first discovers the word, her explaining it to someone else, just an exploration of it, anything like that!

Jemma waited at a table by the pool table while Skye went to get them drinks and any information she could from the bartender. She tucked her hair behind her ears as she looked around the Boiler Room for anyone suspicious looking.

“Jemma Simmons? Is that really you?” a voice behind her asked. She turned and found herself looking at a familiar face. “Jonathan, remember?” he told her. “We were in Professor Vaughn’s class together.”

“I do remember,” Jemma told him, glancing around to see where Skye was. “How have you been?”

“I’ve been good. I’m Level 4 now, stationed at—well, that’s classified.” He smiled at her, but Simmons was too busy watching Skye and Ward talking at the bar. They seemed to be focusing on a curly-haired girl at the pool table. “What are you doing back here?” Jonathan asked.

“Hmm?” Simmons turned her attention back to Jonathan as Skye began heading their way. “Oh, sorry, Fitz and I were invited to give a lecture.”

“Oh. Fitz is here?” Jonathan frowned and looked around for the engineer.

“Yes, he’s—”

“Here’s your drink,” Skye announced, putting the beers on the table and sitting down in the chair across from Jemma. She smiled at Jonathan, eyes glancing up and down his body. “Hello.”

“Skye, this is Jonathan,” Simmons introduced them. “We had a class together.”

“Well, it was nice seeing you again, Simmons,” Jonathan said.

“Bye,” Jemma called after him as he walked away.

“Jemma Simmons!” Skye cried. “That guy was smoking hot! Did you guys…?” She trailed off, but Jemma understood what she was implying.

“Only once,” she admitted. “He has a low body fat percentage and his face is nice and symmetrical. But he is a bit boring.”

“I have to admit,” Skye told her, “when I imagined you and Fitz at school, I just pictured the two of you alone, working in your lab, eating paste.”

Jemma frowned at her. “Though it may be news to you, I’m not exactly an ugly duckling, Skye! Being a nubile young prodigy with an above-average fashion sense draws attention from the opposite gender.”

“Oh, I know,” Skye reassured her.

“I do have a pulse, you know.”

“I’m sorry; I stand corrected. Point taken. Simmons had boyfriends.”

“Well, not quite,” Jemma confessed. “I don’t really have…boyfriends, in the conventional meaning of the word.” Skye looked at her, confused. “I’m aromantic,” Jemma clarified. “That means that I don’t feel romantic attraction toward others, which is why I don’t have boyfriends, because boyfriend implies dating, and dating implies romantic attraction, which I don’t have.”

Skye took a sip of her beer. “Wait, so what’s romantic attraction, and how is it different from sexual attraction?”

“Well, to put it simply, romantic attraction is when you look at someone and want to do romantic things with them. Sexual attraction is when you look at someone and want to do sexual things with them. I looked at Jonathan and saw someone I wanted to have sex with, but I had no desire to go on a date with him.”

“Okay,” Skye said, taking another sip of her beer to give her time to think it through. “I don’t think I fully understand the difference.”

Jemma nodded and reached out to put her hand over Skye’s. “Yes, it’s rather complicated. It took me a long time to sort out what I was and wasn't feeling, but the word—aromantic—it just felt like it fit me.”

“Well, if it makes sense to you, that’s all that matters,” Skye said.

Ward appeared beside them, frowning. “Simmons, call Fitz,” he ordered. “He may be in trouble.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, and for any kudos/comments! I'm taking Ace-spec and/or Aro-spec Pride Prompts on my [Tumblr](http://unlessimwrongwhichyouknowimnot.tumblr.com) so send me an ask if there's anything you'd like to see!


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